6 06 choosing I selección DOMINGO, 28 DE AGOSTO DE 2011 KENDALL COLLEGE EL PROGRAMA CULINARIO NUMERO UNO DE CHICAGO Chicago Michelin Guide Restaurants recently ranked Kendall College the number one Chicago program for preparing students for culinary arts careers. (ORC International-2011 Survey) This honor from top restaurants isn t the only reason aspiring chefs choose Kendall. Kendall features impressive, professional-grade commercial kitchens, where you ll find accomplished instructors teaching both the technical side of cooking, and the business side of culinary arts. Plus, students have several choices for earning and specializing their degrees including the option to earn an associate degree, and start working in the field, as they continue toward completing their bachelor s. If you re considering a future in culinary arts, learn more about why those in the know rank Kendall College at the top of the list. NOW ENROLLING Fall Term Starts October 5 DiscoverKendallCollege.com For additional details, including ORC International s Research Report, please visit Kendall.edu/about/kendall-ranked-first. Find information on costs, occupation types, completion rates and median loan debt for these programs at kendall.edu/programdata. 900 N. North Branch Chicago, IL Students, what s your major worth? Choosing a major could mean choosing your future salary (AP) The choice of undergraduate major in college is strongly tied to a student s future earnings, with the highest-paying majors providing salaries of about 300 percent more than the lowest-paying, according to a study. Based on first-of-its-kind census data, the report by Georgetown University in Washington also found that majors are highly segregated by race and gender. College graduates overall make 84 percent more over a lifetime than those with only high school diplomas, the study stated. But further analysis of 171 majors shows that various undergraduate majors can lead to significantly different median wages. Petroleum engineering majors make about $120,000 a year, compared with $29,000 annually for counseling psychology majors, researchers found. Math and computer science majors earn $98,000 in salary while early childhood education majors get paid about $36,000. It s important that you go to college and get a (bachelor s degree), but it s almost three to four times more important what you take, said Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown s Center on Education and the Workforce. The majors that are most popular are not the ones that make the most money. What s it Worth? The Economic Value of College Majors analyzes data from the 2009 American Community Survey, whose results were released last year. It s the fi rst time the Census asked individuals about their undergraduate majors, enabling researchers to tie in salary data, Carnevale said. The study found that white men are concentrated in the highest-earning majors, including engineering and pharmaceutical sciences, while women gravitate toward the lowest-earning majors like education, art and social work. The report also categorized the 171 majors into 15 fi elds, discovering different majors led to different industries. About 43 percent of law and public policy majors end up in public administration, but only 13 percent of social science majors do. A higher portion of social science majors end up in fi - nance, researchers found. OTHER FINDINGS: The most popular major group is business, accounting for 25 percent of all students. The least popular are industrial arts and agriculture, with 1.6 percent each. White men have higher median earnings across all fields except three. Asians pull down the top median salaries in law and public policy ($55,000), psychology and social work ($48,000), and biology and life science ($53,000). The field with the highest concentrations of whites is agriculture and natural resources (90 percent), while the highest concentration of Asians is in computers and mathematics (16 percent). Law and public policy has the highest concentration of African-Americans Big bucks careers Career Average Salary 1. Mathematician $94, Actuary $87, Software Engineer $87, Meteorologist $85, Computer System Analyst $77, Biologist $74, Statistician $73, Dental Hygienist $67, Historian $63, Audiologist $63,144 Source: CareerCast (14 percent) and Hispanics (10 percent). Fields with virtually no unemployment: geological and geophysical engineering, military technologies, pharmacology and school student counseling. Fields with the highest unemployment: social psychology, nuclear engineering, and educational administration and supervision. The data is important considering the high cost of a college degree and the significant loan burdens taken on by some students to obtain one, Carnevale said. We don t have a system in the U.S. where we align what you take with career prospects, Carnevale said. Nobody ever tells you when you go to college what happened to the other people who took it before you. Rachel Brown, director of the career center at Temple University in Philadelphia, noted that the average person changes careers three to fi ve times in a lifetime. Take the median salary into consideration, but look at the whole picture, Brown said. What are you doing every day? What are the job responsibilities? What are the values of the occupation in general? Advancement potential? Answering those kinds of questions is how Drexel University junior Meaghan Donchak chose her major of corporate communication and public relations. Donchak, 22, of East Windsor, N.J., said she knew her strengths were reading, writing and communicating. But even after settling on public relations, her own research showed such work at nonprofits paid less than corporate or government work, and she adjusted her track accordingly. Donchak hopes her career will allow her to travel, meet people and live comfortably. The Georgetown study found communications and journalism majors earn $50,000 annually, rising to $62,000 with a graduate degree. The most important thing is not the money. It s really hard to convince people of that, especially people our age, Donchak said. It s doing what you love to do. You don t want to wake up every day dreading going to work. (LEA ESTA HISTORIA EN ESPAÑOL EN LA PÁG. 4)

8 08 choosing I selección DOMINGO, 28 DE AGOSTO DE 2011 I Did It, So Can You! Train for a career as a: MEDICAL ASSISTANT MASSAGE THERAPY DENTAL ASSISTING Financial aid available for those who qualify Job placement assistance Day and evening courses available Accredited by ACCET Classes begin soon CALL TODAY! FirstIns tute4me.com FirstInst From your mobile phone text Firstinst to for average wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For more information go to FirstInstitute4Me.com/disclosures. sabía que? did you know? 78 POR ciento de las universidades pronosticaron un incremento de estudiantes en los programas de MBA (Maestría en Administración de Negocios) en el 2011, según una encuesta de International University Consortium for Executive Education, un consorcio de 97 escuelas de negocios en todo el mundo que incluye a Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Notre Dame, Harvard y Stanford. 78 PERCENT of universities said they predict an increase in participation in their MBA programs in 2011, according to a survey of International University Consortium for Executive Education, a consortium of 97 business schools worldwide, including Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Notre Dame, Harvard and Stanford. Fuente/Source: Daily Herald THE RIGHT COURSES At Waubonsee, you ll find an educational experience unlike any other with small class sizes, flexible learning options and affordable tuition. Just bring your imagination, enthusiasm and dreams, and we ll help you achieve beyond what you thought possible. We offer a variety of high-quality programs and services: Transfer Programs Occupational Programs Developmental Education Workforce Development Community Education Student Services FOR WHATEVER COURSE YOU RE ON Sugar Grove Campus Rt. 47 at Waubonsee Dr. Sugar Grove, IL (630) Aurora Campus 18 S. River St. Aurora, IL (630) Copley Campus 2060 Ogden Ave. Aurora, IL (630) Plano Campus 100 Waubonsee Dr. Plano, IL (630) WCC does not discriminate based on any characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities.

12 12 DOMINGO, 28 DE AGOSTO DE 2011 Tenía que obligarme a hacer algo Mujer se sobrepone a adversidades y obtiene carrera a través de programa Plus 50 POR ALYSE THOMPSON Para Reflejos Socorro Flores, cuyo nombre significa ayuda, ciertamente necesitó de ella en septiembre de Siguiendo un despido de Wrigley Manufacturing después de 23 años, Flores descubrió que su esposo de 42 años tenía otra esposa por 31 de esos años, y eso le rompió el corazón. Pero no se mantuvo en ese estado por mucho tiempo. Ella, ahora de 63 años, sabía que tenía que seguir adelante. No podía sentir lástima por mí misma, dijo Flores. Tenía que obligarme a hacer algo, y lo hice. Realmente lo hice. Ese septiembre, Flores se inscribió al Joliet Junior College en su programa Plus 50 (programa para mayores de 50), una iniciativa financiada con subsidios para ayudar a los adultos retirados, subempleados o desempleados mayores de 50 a cambiar de carrera o a regresar al lugar de trabajo. La mayoría de los individuos mayores de 50 años permanecen desempleados por más tiempo, dice Kelly Lapetino, directora del programa Plus 50. De hecho, muchos de ellos, han pasado veintitantos años desde que cambiaron de carrera o volvieron a la escuela o buscaron un empleo, y el proceso por sí mismo definitivamente ha cambiado a través de los años. Así que realmente en base a las necesidades de los adultos mayores de 50, decidimos ofrecer algún tipo de programas y servicios a los adultos en ese grupo de edad para capacitarlos y darles los recursos y herramientas que necesitan para conseguir empleo lo antes posible. En el programa Plus 50 los alumnos pueden tomar una variedad de clases adaptadas a las necesidades de los estudiantes adultos para el desarrollo de su currículo, entrevistas, habilidades de computación, o pueden ser voluntarios mientras obtienen un título. Hasta ahora, este programa ha tenido bastante éxito, de acuerdo con Lapetino. En los últimos años este será el cuarto hemos tenido más de 550 participantes en el programa, y han recibido una variedad de servicios diferentes, dijo Lapetino. Hemos tenido mucho éxito en todos nuestros programas y defi nitivamente hemos recibido comentarios muy positivos. En el caso de Flores, el programa Plus 50 le ayudó a aprender las habilidades computacionales necesarias para el medio laboral actual, así como obtener una certificación por medio del programa de entrenamiento de cuidado en el hogar a pacientes con Alzheimer, establecido en el JJC en colaboración con el Alzheimer s Association-Greater Illinois Chapter. Su certificación le permite ser voluntaria en Catholic Charities, una organización que ayuda a los pacientes con Alzheimer, pero lo más importante, ahora puede ayudar a su madre. Realmente disfruto hacer eso porque mi mamá tiene Parkinson y demencia por Alzheimer, dijo Flores. Cuando estaba casada, perdí contacto con mi mamá por 42 años. Mi ex esposo se negó a que tuviera comunicación con mi familia, así que cuando me enteré del mal que afectaba a mi madre, creí que no me reconocería. Pero cuando fui a verla, ella supo quien era, y desde entonces me prometí que nunca volvería a dejarla. Así que cuando no estoy trabajando o realizando mi trabajo voluntario, me aseguro de ir a ver a mi mamá. Con las habilidades que ha aprendido, Flores estimula a los pacientes de Alzheimer al hablarles y jugar con ellos, y también pasa tiempo con ellos si los miembros de sus familias necesitan hacer algún mandado. Pero cuando trabaja de voluntaria cada semana, lo hace con su mamá en mente. Yo lo veo así: si alguien va a cuidar a mi mamá, quiero que lo haga como si fuera de la familia, dice Flores. Ellos (las familias de los clientes) me piden que vaya a sus hogares, yo entro a sus hogares y cuido de los pacientes. Sus padres, hermanos, quien sea, yo los voy a cuidar de la misma forma en que quisiera que cuidaran a mi mamá: con dignidad y con respeto. Flores sigue estando a la altura del signifi cado de su nombre al ayudar a otros y a sí misma. Ella planea tomar otra clase sobre el cuidado de personas en el JJC, y aunque ella disfruta aprender, para Flores, lo más importante es poder ser de ayuda. Me gusta ayudar a las personas, dijo. Para más información acerca del programa Plus 50, llame a Kelly Lapetino al (815) o escriba a I had to make myself do something Woman overcomes adversities to obtain a career through the Plus 50 program BY ALYSE THOMPSON For Reflejos Socorro Flores, whose name means help in Spanish, certainly needed some in September Following a layoff from Wrigley Manufacturing after 23 years, Flores discovered her husband of 42 years had another wife for 31 one of those years. She was completely heartbroken. But she didn t stay that way for long. Flores, who is now 63, knew she had to move on and help herself. I couldn t feel sorry for myself, Flores said. I had to make myself do something, and I did. I really, truly did. Flores joined Joliet Junior College s Plus 50 SOCORRO FLORES program, a grantfunded initiative designed to help retired, underemployed or unemployed adults age 50 and over switch careers or get back into the workplace. The majority of individuals who are over the age of 50 remain unemployed longer, said Kelly Lapetino, manager of the Plus 50 program. Again, many of them, it s been 20-something years since they re-careered or went back to school or had even looked for a job, and the process itself has definitely changed over the years. So really based on the needs of the adults who are over the age of 50, we decided to offer some sort of programs and services to adults in that age group in order to get them trained and give them the resources and tools they need to get employed as quickly as possible. Under the Plus 50 program, students can take a variety of classes tailored to the needs of adult learners in resume development, interviewing, computer skills or take part in one of the many volunteer opportunities while earning a certificate or degree. So far, this program has been pretty successful, according to Lapetino. Over the last this will be our fourth year we ve had over 550 program participants, and they ve received a variety of different services, Lapetino said. We ve had a lot of wonderful success in all of our programs and we ve definitely received very positive feedback for offering these services in our area. In Flores case, the Plus 50 program helped her learn the computer skills necessary in today s work environment, as well as earn certification through the Alzheimer s at home training program, established at JJC in partnership with the Alzheimer s Association-Greater Illinois Chapter. Her certification allows her to volunteer with Catholic Charities, an organization that assists Alzheimer s patients, but most importantly, she can now help her mother. I really enjoy doing that because my mom has Alzheimer s dementia and Parkinson s, Flores said. When I was married, I lost my mom for 42 years. My exhusband refused to let me have any kind of communication with my family, so when I found out what was wrong with my mom, I didn t think she d recognize me. But when I went to see her, she knew who I was, and ever since then I promised myself I would never leaver her again. So whenever I am not working or doing my volunteer work, I make sure and go see my mom. With the skills that she has learned, Flores stimulates Alzheimer s patients by talking and playing games with them, and she also spends time with them if their family members need to run errands. But when she volunteers every week, she does it with her mother in mind. I look at it this way: If anybody is going to take care of my mom, they are going to take care of her like she was family, Flores said. They (the clients families) ask me to go in their homes, I m going in their homes and taking care (of the clients). Their parents, siblings, whoever it is, I m going to take care of them I would like them the way I would like them to take care of my mom: with dignity and respect. Flores continues to live up to her namesake by helping her others and herself. She plans to take another class in care giving with JJC, and although she enjoys learning, for Flores, the most important thing is being able to help. I love to help people, Flores said. For more information on the Plus 50 program, contact Kelly Lapetino at (815) or

15 DOMINGO, 28 DE AGOSTO DE 2011 planning I planeación 15 A beginner s guide to college terminology People who work for colleges will often throw around words you ve never heard before, and expect you to know what they mean. This can sometimes create problems when you think a person means something entirely different from what the intention. Also, each college has slang terms for many policies and procedures, and you will need to be aware of them. Here is a list of useful college terms. Academic Advisor/Counselor This person will help you select the correct courses, review the course requirements in the field you have selected to pursue and help you with any academic problems you may encounter. Advanced Standing Credit These are credit hours that an institution accepts toward a degree from courses that the student has earned elsewhere. Such credit may be given for work done at another higher education institution, by examination or testing out, or by military service. Alumni people who have graduated from the institution. ACT and SAT These letters are acronyms for the American College Test and the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Both tests are designed to measure a student s level of knowledge in basic areas such as math, science, OFRECEMOS EXÁMENES ESCOLARES English and social studies. Colleges may require the results of either the ACT or SAT before granting admission. Application/Acceptance/Admission Application is the process by which a prospective student submits the required forms and credentials to their chosen institution. Application criteria may include one or more of the following: previous academic records, test scores, interviews, recommendations and other information provided by the applicant. Depending on the application requirements of a particular school, the student can gain acceptance to the institution if the decision to accept the application is positive. Admission is the status granted to an applicant who meets the prescribed entrance requirements of the institution. Associate Degree The associate degree is granted upon completion of a program of at least two years of college work. Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees are conferred upon students who successfully complete programs designed for transfer to a senior college. The associate degree requires completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (a C average). Associate of Applied Science Degree This degree is conferred upon students who Un equipo con experiencia que proporciona Excelencia y cuidado cosmético Artesa Family Dental Victor Gonzalez, DDS ODONTOLOGÍA GENERAL Y COSMÉTICA PARA ADULTOS Y NIÑOS Hacemos: Se acepta ayuda pública N. Milwaukee Ave. Wheeling, IL Elk Grove Optical Aceptamos para Exámenes y Lentes 611 Meacham Rd. Elk Grove Village (847) EXÁMENES ESCOLARES Cursos disponibles para Asistente Dental Arreglos financieros disponibles Whitening System successfully complete a program designed to lead the individual directly into employment in a specific career. The applied science degree has the same requirements as those stated above for the associate degree. Bachelor s Degree This is the undergraduate degree offered by four-year colleges and universities. The Bachelor of Arts degree requires that a portion of the student s studies be dedicated to the arts literature, language, music, etc. The Bachelor of Science degree requires that a portion of the studies be in the sciences chemistry, biology, math, etc. The minimum credit hour requirement for a bachelor s degree is 120 hours. Bursar s Office The Bursar s Office is responsible for all financial transactions of the institution. It may also be called the business office on some campuses. CLEP The College Level Examination Program can be administered to students who desire to obtain college credit by taking proficiency tests in selected courses. If the student scores high enough on the test, college credit can be awarded. There is a charge for each test taken. Concurrent Enrollment A student can enroll and attend two educational institutions at the same time provided that certain criteria are met. Course Numbers All courses are identified by numbers usually containing three or four digits, for example freshman English might be The first digit indicates the class year in which the subject is usually taken, the middle 1 or 2 digits identify the course within the subject field and the last digit indicates the number of credit hours the course carries. A course number beginning with a 0 indicates that it does not carry credit hours applicable to a degree. Credit Hours Courses taken in college are measured in terms of credit hours. To earn one credit hour, a student must attend a class for one classroom hour (usually 50 minutes) per week for the whole semester (usually 16 weeks). Drop and Add Students are generally permitted to drop courses from their class schedules and/or add other courses. Colleges allow varying lengths of time for students to add and drop classes. FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The almost universal application for financial aid, including loans, grants, college work-study and other federal and state programs. It is often required before a student can be considered for scholarships also. Fees Fees are additional charges not included in the tuition. Fees may be charged to cover the cost of materials and equipment needed in certain courses, and they may be assessed for student events, programs and publications. Financial Aid Aid is made available from grants, scholarships, loans and part-time employment from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Awards from these programs may be combined in an award package to meet the cost of education. The types and amounts of aid awarded are determined by financial need, available funds, student classification, academic performance and sometimes the timeliness of application. Source: CollegePrep101.com (LEA ESTA HISTORIA EN ESPAÑOL EN LA PÁG. 14) Está desempleado? NOSOTROS PAGAMOS SUS CLASES! para que se convierta en un Profesional de la Salud en sólo 9 semanas y empiece a ganar dinero en un empleo de gran demanda! Las clases son en inglés Asistente Médico (desde $20,800 hasta hasta $40,190 * ) Técnico de Farmacia (desde $19,800 hasta $30,250 * ) Flebotomista (desde $22,000 hasta $42,000 * ) WIA Grants Available for Underemployedemployed and Unemployed Se requiere tener diploma de High School y GED NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL, 2011 COURSES 5999 New Wilke Road, Bldg. 4 Suite 400, Rolling Meadows, IL Northwest Suburban College does not discriminate on the basis of race/ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, disability, veteran status or age in the administration of any of its employment, educational programs, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administer ed programs.

18 18 planning I planeación DOMINGO, 28 DE AGOSTO DE De busca problemas a líder From troublemaker to leader Un hispano que era estudiante en gran riesgo académico es ahora un modelo POR ELENA FERRARIN Para Reflejos Decir que Irving Ruiz de 18 años venció las probabilidades es un efuemismo. El fue criado por una madre soltera en un destartalado complejo de departamentos de Glen Ellyn. Creció meditabundo y enojado por la ausencia de su padre. Era un busca líos durante sus años de escuela primaria e intermedia. Comenzó su primer año en Glenbard West High School en un programa para estudiantes en riesgo académico que leen dos años por debajo de su nivel de grado. Y luego, algo hizo clic. Alimentado con el apoyo de su madre, así como de consejeros y mentores, Irving cambió su vida. Se propuso aplicarse en la escuela, y en mayo se graduó con un promedio de calificaciones de 4.1 en su último semestre. También se convirtió en un líder y un modelo a seguir para sus compañeros, como uno de los miembros fundadores del Multicultural Achievement Club en Glenbard West y un líder juvenil en la Iglesia de la Resurrección en Wheaton. Este otoño, no solo será el primero en su familia en asistir a la universidad, sino que lo hará con todos los gastos cubiertos en Wheaton College, donde planea estudiar sicología del desarrollo para eventualmente trabajar en el área del orden público. Yo creo que todos tienen el potencial de lograr cosas. Depende de ellos encontrar en dónde está ese potencial, dijo Irving. Solo un puñado de 594 estudiantes de primer año admitidos a Wheaton este otoño tendrán su matrícula completa cubierta, dijo Shawn Leftwich, director de admisiones en la universidad. Los estudios de Irving serán cubiertos con una combinación de ayuda fi - nanciera y becas, dijo Leftwich. Lo que vimos en él es que realmente quería convertirse en alguien, dijo. Estaba determinado a hacer todo lo posible para asistir a la universidad. Irving y su hermana de 12 años, Areli, nacieron en los Estados Unidos después de que sus padres, ambos inmigrantes mexicanos, se conocieron aquí. La madre de Irving, Inocencia Escobar, dijo que siempre impulsó a sus hijos para que le echaran ganas en la escuela y para que hicieran algo de sí mismos. Me he centrado en darles apoyo a mis hijos y en seguir adelante con ellos, dijo Escobar, quien trabaja en McDonald s. Ella y su esposo se divorciaron cuando Irving tenía 5 años de edad, y los niños tienen contacto ocasional con su padre, dice ella. Irving dijo que el no tener a su papá cerca hizo que se comportara mal y desafiante cuando era menor. Cuando mis padres se separaron yo me convertí en un niño difícil. Me costótrabajoabrirme, dijo Irving, quien estuvo en clases de inglés como segundo idioma hasta el sexto grado. Pero nunca se metió en problemas serios, resistiendo el tirón para unirse a las pandillas, a diferencia de algunos de sus compañeros, dijo. Cuando crecí vi a muchos niños hispanos involucrase en las pandillas. Algunos de los niños de por aquí, sus hermanos mayores estaban involucrados, dijo. Mis padres siempre me decían que me cuidara, que no me metiera en problemas. Matthew Soerens, quien trabaja como un especialista de entrenamiento en las iglesias estadounidenses de World Relief, conoció a Irving hace cinco años cuando se mudó a Parkside Apartments, en donde la organización coloca a los refugiados. Irving no tenía una idea clara de lo que significaba la universidad con exactitud. Cuando lo conocí, el habló acerca de trabajar en Chili s y Friday s, dijo. El definitivamente no era el chico que la mayoría de las escuelas preparatorias hubieran elegido para asistir a una universidad de prestigio con todos sus gastos cubiertos. Cerca de un tercio de los residentes de Parkside Apartments vienen de México, y más o menos la mitad son refugiados de todas partes del mundo, dijo Soerens. Hay pandillas, hay muchas drogas, a pesar de que la gente de clase media también consume drogas, dijo. El abuso del alcohol es bastante evidente, especialmente en el verano (cuando) en una noche cualquiera están aquellos que están bebiendo más de lo que es saludable. Irving definitivamente tenía la opción de irse por el camino equivocado y esa es probablemente la opción por defecto para muchos en nuestro vecindario, pero él estaba decidido a no hacerlo. Kate Culloton, la asesora de Irving durante cuatro años en Glenbard West, dijo que Irving trabajó duro para lograr sus objetivos, FOTO: PAUL MICHNA IRVING RUIZ, de 18 años, de Glen Ellyn en su complejo de departamentos. Ruiz cambió su vida, y está comprometido a ayudar a otros en la comunidad. IRVING RUIZ,18, of Glen Ellyn at his apartment complex. Ruiz has turned his life around, and he is committed to helping others in the community. mejorando poco a poco sus calificaciones. La escuela no era fácil para él, dijo Culloton. En una forma realmente extraordinaria, él ha puesto su mirada en mejorarse a sí mismo. Lo hizo de forma constante, no fue un cambio rápido. Un punto de inflexión para Irving fue Bridge, un programa de verano en Wheaton College al que asistió durante su segundo y tercer año después de que Soerens lo animó para que entrara. Bridge está abierto a estudiantes que pertenecen a las minorías raciales, o que son los primeros en su familia en asistir a la universidad, o de bajos ingresos. Irving encajó en las tres categorías. Irving es sociable en el sentido de que es muy compasivo por naturaleza, es muy perceptivo de la situación de otras personas, dijo Sado Park, el director de residencia de Irving en el programa Bridge. Irving dijo que después de su segundo año y de asistir a Bridge, se dio cuenta que quería echarle más ganas. Comencé a pensar que debería retarme a mí mismo para el siguiente año, dijo. Mi deseo de retarme a mí mismo vino de mi mamá. Ella hizo un montón de cosas locas para que nosotros tuviéramos un techo sobre nuestras cabezas, comida y ropa. El quiere trabajar en una agencia del orden público, dijo, porque quiere hacer una diferencia en las vidas de otras personas, especialmente los niños que vienen de antecedentes difíciles como el suyo. Quiero ayudar cuando nadie quiera dar la cara para lo que es correcto, dijo. Irving, quien ha estado trabajando en Panera Bread tres veces a la semana en los últimos dos años, ya es un modelo a seguir para los niños de su barrio. (Irving) se dio cuenta que muchos de estos chicos lo admiran y lo ven como un modelo a seguir, dijo Soerens. El se lo ha tomado muy a pecho. El ayuda a niños menores. Los alienta a que dejen de jugar con los juegos de video y que hagan sus tareas, que lean un libro. Ha sido grandioso para nuestro barrio tener a Irving Ruiz, porque podemos decirle a estos niños, Ustedes pueden ir a la universidad también. No es imposible. A young Hispanic who started as an at risk-student is now a role model BY ELENA FERRARIN For Reflejos To say that 18-year-old Irving Ruiz beat the odds is an understatement. He was raised by a single mother in a lessthan-savory Glen Ellyn apartment complex. He grew up brooding and angry at his father s absence. He was a troublemaker during his elementary and middle school years. He started his freshman year at Glenbard West High School in a program for at-risk students who read two years below grade level. And then, something clicked. Drawing upon the encouragement of his mother, as well as counselors and mentors, Irving turned his life around. He stepped up to apply himself in school, and in May he graduated with a 4.1 gradepoint average in his last semester. He also became a leader and role model for his peers, as one of the founding members of Glenbard West s Multicultural Achievement Club and a church youth group leader at Iglesia De La Resurreccion in Wheaton. This fall, he will not only be the fi rst in his family to attend college, but will be doing so with a full ride to Wheaton College, where he wants to study developmental psychology to eventually work in law enforcement. I think everybody has the potential to achieve. It s up to them to fi nd where that potential is, Irving said. Only a handful of the 594 freshmen admitted to Wheaton this fall will have their full tuition covered, said Shawn Leftwich, director of admissions at the college. Irving s schooling will be paid by a combination of fi - nancial aid and scholarships, Leftwich said. What we saw in him is that he really wanted to become someone, she said. He was determined to do all he could to go to college. Irving and his 12-year-old sister, Areli, were born in the United States after their parents, both Mexican immigrants, met here. Irving s mother, Inocencia Escobar, said she always pushed her kids to do well in school and make something of themselves. I have focused on giving support to my children and keep moving forward with them, said Escobar, who works at McDonald s. She and her husband divorced when Irving was 5 years old, and the children have occasional contact with their father, she said. Irving said not having his dad around made him act up and be defi ant when he was younger. When my parents split up I became a tough kid. I had a tough time opening up, said Irving, who was in English as a Second Language classes until the sixth grade. But he never got into serious trouble, resisting the pull to join gangs, unlike some of his peers, he said. Growing up, I saw a lot of Hispanic kids getting involved in gangs. Some of the kids around here, their older brothers were involved, he said. My parents were always telling me to watch out, not to get in trouble. Matthew Soerens, who works as a U.S. church training specialist for World Relief, met Irving fi ve years ago when he moved into Parkside Apartments, where the organization settles refugees. Irving didn t have a good idea of what college meant exactly. When I met him, he talked about working at Chili s and Friday s, he said. He defi nitely was not the kid most middle schools would have picked to go to a prestigious college on a full ride. About a third of the residents of Parkside Apartments come from Mexico, and half or so are refugees from all over the world, Soerens said. There are gangs, there are lots of drugs, even though middle-class people do drugs, too, he said. Alcohol abuse is pretty blatant, especially in the summer (when) on any given night there are those who are drinking way more than is healthy. Irving defi nitely had the option of going in the wrong direction and that is probably the default option for many in our neighborhood but he was determined not to do that. Kate Culloton, Irving s counselor for four years at Glenbard West, said Irving worked hard to achieve his goals, slowly improving his grades. School was not easy for him, Culloton said. In a really extraordinary way, he has set his sights in making improvements in himself. He did it pretty steadily it wasn t a quick turnaround. A turning point for Irving was Bridge, a summer program at Wheaton College that he attended his sophomore and junior years after Soerens pushed him to apply for it. Bridge is open to students who are either racial minorities, fi rst-generation collegebound, or low-income. Irving fit all three categories. Irving is social in the way that he is a very compassionate guy by nature, he is very perceptive of other people s situation, said Sado Park, Irving s residence director for Bridge. Irving said that after his sophomore year and attending Bridge, he realized he wanted to push himself harder. I started to think I should challenge myself for the next year, he said. My desire to challenge myself came from my mom. She did a lot of crazy stuff for us to have a roof over our head, food and clothing. He wants to work in law enforcement, he said, because he wants to make a difference in other people s lives, especially children who come from challenging backgrounds like his. I want to help out when nobody wants to stand up for what s right, he said. Irving, who has been working at Panera Bread three days a week for the past two years, already is a role model for the kids in his neighborhood. (Irving) realized that a lot of these kids look up to him and see him as a role model, FOTO: ELENA FERRARIN IRVING RUIZ, de 18 años, de Glen Ellyn,acredita a su madre, Inocencia Escobar,como la persona que siempre lo empujó en la dirección correcta. IRVING RUIZ, 18, of Glen Ellyn, credits his mother, Inocencia Escobar, with always steering him in the right direction. FOTO: PAUL MICHNA ORVING RUIZ, de 18 años, transformó su vida después de tiempos problemáticos en la primaria y escuela intermedia y se apresta a asistir a Wheaton College este otoño. IRVING RUIZ, 18, turned his life around after some troubled times in elementary and middleschoolsand now he isgettingready to attendwheaton College this fall. Soerens said. He s taken that really to heart. He helps younger kids. He encourages them to stop playing video games and go do homework, read a book. It s been great for our neighborhood to have Irving Ruiz, because we can tell these little kids, You can go to college, too. It s not impossible.

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